The cheapest cities to rent in North Carolina, where the Triad undercuts Charlotte and Raleigh
Asheboro is the cheapest North Carolina city of 25,000 or more people to rent in, with a typical rent of $1,105 a month, according to RentDataNow data for August 2026. Among the state's bigger cities the Piedmont Triad stands out, with Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem all ranking among the 15 cheapest.
The table ranks the 15 cheapest of the 43 North Carolina cities with at least 25,000 residents, with each city's median household income and the share of it a typical rent would take. Across all 142 North Carolina cities we track, the median typical rent is $1,705.
Rank | City | Typical rent | 1-year change | Median household income | Rent as share of income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | $1,105 | +5.8% | $47,197 | 28.1% | |
2 | $1,221 | +5.6% | $60,935 | 24.0% | |
3 | $1,272 | +2.7% | $55,534 | 27.5% | |
4 | $1,282 | -0.3% | $53,716 | 28.6% | |
5 | $1,284 | +2.8% | $56,880 | 27.1% | |
6 | $1,367 | +2.2% | $58,407 | 28.1% | |
7 | $1,372 | +3.2% | $64,561 | 25.5% | |
8 | $1,392 | +2.2% | $61,515 | 27.2% | |
9 | $1,417 | +3.7% | $57,697 | 29.5% | |
10 | $1,424 | +3.6% | $48,540 | 35.2% | |
11 | $1,428 | +3.2% | $49,748 | 34.4% | |
12 | $1,456 | +3.9% | $52,485 | 33.3% | |
13 | $1,501 | +1.1% | $64,059 | 28.1% | |
14 | $1,507 | +3.7% | $59,268 | 30.5% | |
15 | $1,531 | +3.9% | $64,576 | 28.5% |
Asheboro and Thomasville rose fastest
Asheboro's typical rent rose 5.8% over the past year, the largest increase on the list, and Thomasville, at $1,221, was close behind at 5.6%. Both are small markets where a few leases can move the number, which we've explained in why small-city rent numbers swing. Salisbury, at $1,282, was the only city on the list where rent fell, down 0.3%.
The Triad is the cheapest big-city region
Fayetteville, home to Fort Bragg, is the cheapest North Carolina city of more than 100,000 people, at $1,367. High Point ($1,372) and Greensboro ($1,392) are right behind it, and Winston-Salem comes in at $1,507.
Raleigh's typical rent is $1,577 and Charlotte's is $1,744, so a renter in Greensboro pays about $350 a month less than one in Charlotte. Raleigh's higher incomes do make its rent easier to carry, though, since typical rent there takes 22.2% of median household income, compared with 27.2% in Greensboro and 30.5% in Winston-Salem.
Charlotte and Raleigh renters also have more room to bargain. In July, 68.1% of rental listings in the Charlotte metro and 65.4% in the Raleigh metro offered a concession, according to Zillow, the highest and fifth-highest shares among the country's 50 biggest metros. Our Charlotte rent guide covers that market in more detail.
Rent rose in 14 of the 15 cities
Most of the gains were modest, with 11 of the 15 cities rising between 2% and 4%. Hickory and Wilson each rose 3.9%, and Greenville, home to East Carolina University, rose 3.2%. Greenville and Wilson are both in the east, and rent now takes roughly a third of median household income in each, 34.4% in Greenville and 33.3% in Wilson. Goldsboro, at 35.2%, carries the heaviest burden on the list.
Sources
RentDataNow North Carolina rent data, anchored to the Zillow Observed Rent Index, August 2026
Zillow Research, July 2026 rent report, for concession shares
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, for median household income and population
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest city to rent in North Carolina?
Among cities with at least 25,000 residents, Asheboro is cheapest at a typical $1,105 a month in August 2026. Thomasville ($1,221) and Rocky Mount ($1,272) are next. Among cities over 100,000, Fayetteville is cheapest at $1,367.
Is Greensboro cheaper than Charlotte to rent?
Yes. Greensboro's typical rent was $1,392 a month in August 2026, about $350 less than Charlotte's $1,744. Relative to income, rent takes 27.2% of the median household income in Greensboro and 25.5% in Charlotte.
How much is rent in North Carolina?
Across the 142 North Carolina cities RentDataNow tracks, the median typical rent was $1,705 a month in August 2026. Among cities over 100,000 people, it ranged from $1,367 in Fayetteville to $1,813 in Concord.
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Henry Jo is a housing analyst covering rent data, affordability, city comparisons, and much more. He started following rental data while apartment hunting in two cities at once, and he lives in the Pacific Northwest.
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